Mercedes Retail wins SAF
September 25th, 2009 by Richard Aucock
MERCEDES-BENZ Retail has become the latest car dealer group to get the FLA’s stamp of approval.
It has awarded Specialist Automotive Finance status to the 35-strong Merc retail group.
This comes after 200 staff passed the SAF competence test. The car dealer sales execs completed online profiles to get their own personal awards.
The FLA audits these tests, which quiz candidates on finance products and all the regulation surrounding them.
They join their 7000 fellow car dealers who have been given the thumbs up by the free test. Yet more recruits to please FLA head Paul Harrison: ‘I am delighted that Mercedes-Benz Retail – one of the largest dealer groups in the UK – has become SAF Approved.
‘This shows that our motor finance initiative has clear benefits for dealership staff and consumers.’
That’s not all, either. Harrison reckons other big groups, including Renault Retail and Lookers are ‘close to achieving the new status.’
Steve Fitzgerald, general manager of Mercedes-Benz Retail, praised the initiative. ‘In today’s world of financial turmoil, it is essential that our customers know that they will be dealing with an organisation that employs staff that are fully conversant with motor finance and the regulation surrounding it.
‘Motor finance can be a minefield for consumers, but knowing that a dealership and its staff are SAF Approved should give them greater comfort and confidence in an area where this has not always been the case.’
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Tags: fla, mercedes-benz, retail, saf
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